Illuminated sign



J. H. KELLY.

I ILLUMINATED SIGN.

' v APPLICATIQN'HLED 011.4, 1921.

1,890,561. PatentedSept. 13,1921- 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' Arm/Mrs WITNESSES 4 V 11v VENTOR 6. Jj-f. K21, L Y,

QNETEQ ETdTEfi JOHN HUGH KELLY, OF NEW QELEANS, LGUISIANA.

IZL'UMINATED SIG-N.

Specification of Application filed April 4,

T 0 0U 10 7mm it may con corn.

Be it known that LJoHN HUGH KELLY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to signs and the purpose of my invention is the provision of a sign particularly adapted although not necessarily, for use on motor vehicles and in such manner as to be prominently displayed and illuminated by lamps which are connected to the lighting circuit of the vehicle.

It is also .the purpose of my invention to provide an illuminated sign of' extremely simple and inexpensive construction having removable transparent panels to permit of, the illuminating means within the sign illuminating indicia directly on the sign and indicia remote from the sign. Furthermore, my invention provides novel means for de tachably supporting the sign on a motor vehicle, and means for retainlng the removable panels in the sign-"against accidental displacement.

I I .will describe one form of sign embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing the front end of an automobile having applied thereto one form of sign embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the sign shown in Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View of the sign shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view showing in end elevation the sign shown in the preceding-views.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sign with the glass panels removed.

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of one of the glass panels.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical view showing one form of lamp circuit in which the lamps of the sign are embodied.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 5, the sign in its present embodiment comprises a rectangular casing designated generally at C which is formed of any suitable material such as wood, metal or the like and which is of such simultaneousl nels 16 and 1 when in latching or looking 100 Letters Patent. Patented Sept. IE3, 1921.

1921. Serial No. 458,234

dimensions as to permit of its being readily structed to provide longitudinal and trans verse grooves or channels 15 and 16, respectlvely. for the accommodation of a glass panel P. The righthand end of the trans- Verse channel 16 is open as clearly shown in Fig. 4 to permit of the insertion or removal of the panel P to or from the casing, and withv the panel in applied position it will be clear that it spans the opening at the forward side of the casing. This panel P is in the present instance provided with indicia by covering the rear side thereof with opaque material so that the rays from the source of light within the. casing will be projected through the letters of the indicia.

The bottom side of the casing C is like, wise formed withan opening, the walls of which are formed with transverse and 1ongitudinally extending grooves or channels 17 and 18, respectively, for the purpose of accommodating a removable transparent panel P. The righthand transverse channel 17 is open at its outer side to permit of the insertion and removal of the panel P to and from the casing. This panel P is preferably formed of glass which is transparent to permit of the projection of the rays of light from the casing to a point exteriorly thereof. The panels P and P' are adapted to be locked-within the casing against accidental displacement by means of a latch member L pivotally supported upon one end of the casing C by a pin 19 and in such manner as to be frictionally retained in any position to which it is adjusted. The latch member L is of such a contour as to span portions of the chanposition in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 4 so that the panels P and f are retained againstv longitudinal movement outwardly of the casing.

On the inner sides'of, the end walls of the 105 casing C electric lamps E and E are sustained in sockets S and S, respectively, fitted in suitable openings on the casing and Secured therein by means of plates 20. The

lamps E and E are in the present instance 110 of the single contact type and are provided with conductors which extend exteriorly of the casing to a source of current as will be hereinafter described. 7

For supporting the sign as a unit in position upon a motor vehicle and preferably upon the radiator in the manner shown in Fig. 1, supporting straps T and T are provided which are connected at their ends to screw eyes 21 secured within the casing C. The strap T is connected to the upper side of the casing in the manner shown in Fig. 1 and is adapted to engage the cap of the radiator of an automobile for supporting the sign as a unit upon the radiator. To securely hold the sign in contact with the radiator at all times, the strap T is eX tended through portions of the radiator in a manner which will be clearly understood so that the sign cannot swing outwardly from or laterally of the radiation. In the applied position of the sign shown in Fig. 1, current is supplied to the lamps E and E to effect their illumination from the same Source of current employed for illuminating the head lights of the automobile. In Fig. 7 I have shown diagrammatically one manner of connecting "the lamps E and E in the circuit of the head lights. In this view B designates the. battery for supplying current; to the dim lamps D and D of the head lights of an automobile. One pair of con ductors extending from the lamps E and E is connected to the lamps D and D, respectively while the other conductors are grounded through the frame of the vehicle,

By this arrangement it will be seen that when the circuit is applied for the dim lights D and D an illumination of the sign lamps E and E is effected thus causing an illumination of the sign so as to render the indicia upon the panels P visible. The light rays traversing the panel P can be employed for illuminating the license tag located at the lower end of the radiator shown in Fig. 1, or any other sign which may be located at the forward end of the vehicle.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that I have provided an illuminated sign of simple and efficient construction which may be readily positioned upon a motor vehicle so\ as to be prominently and effectively displayed, and which can be readily connected to the lamp circuit of the vehicle so as to illuminate any indicia upon the sign or any indicia located adjacent and beneath the sign.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of illuminated sign embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

\Vhat I claim is:

A sign comprising, a casing having open= ings in two sides thereof the walls of which are formed with channels, glass panels removablyfitted within the channels, illuminating means within the casing, and alatch member pivotally supported on the casing and arranged to simultaneously span the ends of certain of the channels to maintain the panels within the channels and to be frictionally held in spanning position.

JOHN HUGH KELLY. 

